Home Help: Must-have remodels for aging homeowners

Wednesday

Click inside for the weekly home and garden rail, with items on remodeling for seniors, tips on painting your ceiling, advice on propagating houseplants, and more. Or check out the links below:

Home page: Get a toilet makeover

Give birds a helping hand this winter

Baptisia adds burst of color

Ice dams cause more than headaches

More in home and garden

Home Improvements: Prepare your home for a mature household

The aging population will have the second biggest impact of any factor on the remodeling industry over the next five years, according to the AARP and National Association of Home Builders. Why? Because today's homeowners overwhelmingly prefer to live independently in their current homes, even if it means remodeling to meet their needs.

Whether you modify your current house or purchase new, these are some must-haves to ensure you'll have a safe, secure and easily maintained home in which to spend your golden years:

Floor plan

- Aim for an open floor plan with wide, accessible paths.

- Ideally, a single-story home or a two-story with a first-floor master bedroom will allow you to better navigate your home.

Bathroom

- The first-floor master bathroom should be equipped with safety products, such as grab bars, elevated toilet seats and shower chairs.

- A curbless shower, featuring a handheld showerhead with an extra long hose, is a safe way to bathe.

Kitchen and laundry

- Adjustable- or varied-height countertops mean you won’t have to strain to reach items.

- Upper wall cabinetry should be 3 inches lower than conventional height so you don’t have to stretch or use a stepstool to reach item.

- Handrails near steps will ensure you can go up and down stairs safely.

On the Web:

Visit www.aarp.org for more tips and information.

-- ARA

Decorating Tip: Don’t forget about the ceiling

Think of your ceiling as the fifth wall. Instead of plain white, consider a light- or medium-toned color.

Mix one-third of the color of your walls with two-thirds white and use it on the ceiling. It breathes a bit of color into the room for a unique coordinated look.

Pearl paint finishes with luminosity or shine also work well on ceilings.

-- Hunter Douglas

Home-Selling Tip: Repair even minor flaws

As you’re preparing to show your home, make sure even minor flaws are corrected. Signs of wear such as loose screws, worn paint and crooked drawer pulls may be noticeable to a potential buyer. Fix doors that stick, and squeaky floors and steps.

-- GMAC Real Estate, www.gmacrealestate.com

How To: Select stone countertops

Evaluating your lifestyle is important when it comes to picking countertops.

- Granite likely will make its way onto your “wants list.” Do your homework and you might be surprised to find out that you can afford granite. By choosing a more common variety, a thinner cut, a simple edge profile and limiting cutouts, you will likely spend less.

- If your tastes lean more toward a rustic matte-finished countertop material, consider limestone, travertine, slate or honed marble tiles for your surface. Research each one carefully prior to committing to it.

- Marble slab countertops, especially white, are gaining in popularity. Some marble, however, is more porous than granite and may etch and stain if it comes into prolonged contact with certain foods.